Athletics claim right-hander Taylor Rashi off waivers from the Twins, per announcement

The Athletics have claimed right-hander Taylor Rashi off waivers from the Minnesota Twins, according to an Oakland announcement carried by MLB Trade Rumors on August 9, 2026. A waiver claim is a mechanism teams use to obtain a player already on another club’s roster, typically when the claiming team believes the player’s fit is better served on its own staff.

For Oakland, the claim represents a straightforward addition to its pitching mix at a time when late-season roster adjustments can matter for both bullpen flexibility and spot starts. While exact usage and role are determined by the coaching staff after the paperwork clears, waiver claims often report that a team has scouted a skill set it wants to leverage, whether that involves run prevention, leverage innings, or depth behind a primary group of relievers.

From Minnesota’s perspective, placing Rashi on waivers and losing him to the Athletics suggests the Twins were willing to move in a new direction with their available pitching options. In MLB, teams can put players on waivers for various roster and strategic reasons, including managing options, innings, or organization depth, but once a claim is accepted, the player changes organizations immediately for the remainder of the agreement terms at that time.

The Athletics’ decision also fits a broader waiver-trade reality. A player claimed off waivers cannot be blocked by the original team, and the claiming club receives the player’s contract under the waiver process rules. That means Oakland not only adds Rashi’s arm, it also potentially clears a path for its own development plans and roster needs, depending on how the staff evaluates the next matchups.

For Rashi personally, the change is a new opportunity and a new set of expectations. A right-handed pitcher coming to a different organization typically faces a rapid onboarding period, including bullpen sessions, catch/playbook adjustments, and alignment with Oakland’s evaluation of pitch usage. If the Athletics deploy him quickly, it could be as a late-inning option, a high-leverage bullpen arm, or a longer relief look, depending on what the team’s rotation and pen require.

What to watch next is how Oakland integrates Rashi into its immediate plans. That includes whether he is used as a bullpen reliever right away, how his pitches are managed in his first outings, and whether the move triggers additional roster shuffling elsewhere on the pitching staff. For Minnesota, the key question becomes what replacement piece or internal option will be used to fill the spot left by the waiver loss.

Because the current reporting is based on the Athletics’ announcement as relayed by MLB Trade Rumors, further details such as roster timing, contractual considerations, and early usage plans should be treated as to-be-confirmed until additional official transaction documentation is reviewed.